NJ dioceses to release list of abusive Catholic priests — report

NEWARK — Priests attending a meeting at the Archdiocese of Newark on Tuesday told NorthJersey.com they believe a list of priests accused of being abusive would be released Wednesday by all the state’s dioceses.

Paterson diocesan attorney Ken Mullaney told the newspaper the release would be made around the same time on the websites of the Camden, Metuchen, Newark, Paterson, and Trenton dioceses.

None of the priests named are currently active with a church, according to Mullaney, and those who are still living have been notified by mail.

A spokeswoman for the Archdiocese did not immediately return a message on Wednesday morning.

The release comes as the dioceses announced the Independent Victim Compensation Fund for victims of sexual abuse. Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin said the fund would allow those abused by priests when they were minors "to seek financial compensation in a compassionate, expeditious, independent, and transparent manner."

The fund will be administered by Kenneth R. Feinberg and Camille S. Biros, administrators of the compensation funds created for victims of the 9/11 terrorist attack and the Boston Marathon bombing.

"Cardinal Tobin and the Bishops of the five New Jersey Dioceses have delegated to us this independent responsibility. They have assured us that we have complete discretion in deciding who is eligible to receive compensation and the amount to be paid to the individual victim," Biros said in a statement.

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNJ.

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